U.S. patent application number 10/814846 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-31 for printer with hardware and software interfaces for peripheral devices.
Invention is credited to Graham, Jamey, Hart, Peter E., Hull, Jonathan J..
Application Number | 20050071520 10/814846 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34382003 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050071520 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hull, Jonathan J. ; et
al. |
March 31, 2005 |
Printer with hardware and software interfaces for peripheral
devices
Abstract
A printing system enables the printing of multimedia received
from a device that is docked on the printer. Based on received
multimedia data, the printing system produces a paper or other
printed output as well as a related electronic output. Together,
the printed and electronic outputs provide a representation of the
multimedia. The printer is also capable of communicating and
controlling the functionality of the peripheral device. Depending
on the desired application for the printer, the printer may include
any combination of mechanisms for receiving media data, printing
the printed output, and producing the electronic output.
Inventors: |
Hull, Jonathan J.; (San
Carlos, CA) ; Hart, Peter E.; (Menlo Park, CA)
; Graham, Jamey; (San Jose, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FENWICK & WEST LLP
SILICON VALLEY CENTER
801 CALIFORNIA STREET
MOUNTAIN VIEW
CA
94041
US
|
Family ID: |
34382003 |
Appl. No.: |
10/814846 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60506303 |
Sep 25, 2003 |
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60506302 |
Sep 25, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
710/8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/1632
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
710/008 |
International
Class: |
G06F 003/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A system for printing multimedia data, the system comprising: an
interface for receiving a multimedia data from a peripheral device;
and a multimedia processing system coupled to the interface to
receive the multimedia, the multimedia processing system performing
a multimedia function on the multimedia data, wherein the
multimedia processing system resides at least in part on the
system.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the multimedia function comprises
determining an electronic representation of the multimedia
data.
3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a first output device
in communication with the multimedia processing system to receive
the electronic representation, the first output device producing a
corresponding electronic output from the electronic representation
of the multimedia data.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the electronic output is stored
on a media recorder.
5. The system of claim 3, wherein the electronic output is stored
on a removable storage device.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the removable storage device is
selected from a group consisting of a DVD, a CD-ROM, an audio
cassette tape, a video tape, a flash card, a memory stick, and a
computer disk.
7. The system of claim 3, wherein the electronic output comprises a
web page.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the multimedia function comprises
determining a printed representation of the multimedia data.
9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a second output device
in communication with the multimedia processing system to receive
the printed representation, the second output device producing a
corresponding printed output from the printed representation of the
multimedia data.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the printed output is generated
on a video paper.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a
parallel port.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a
wireless communication interface.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a serial
interface.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein the serial interface is an USB
interface.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a
docking station.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the docking station is built
into the system.
17. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an
optical port.
18. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a video
port.
19. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a port
for connecting the peripheral device, the port selected from a
group consisting of SCSI, IDE, RJ11, composite video, component
video and S-video.
20. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a
removable storage reader.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the removable storage reader
comprises media reader selected from a group consisting of a DVD
reader, a flash card reader, a memory stick reader, a CD reader, a
computer disk reader, and an SD reader.
22. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises
a cellular telephone.
23. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises
a video camcorder.
24. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises
a digital audio recorder.
25. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises
a media input device selected from a group consisting of a DVD
reader, a video cassette tape reader, a CD reader, an audio
cassette tape reader, a flash card reader, digital video recorder,
a video capture device, and a meeting recorder.
26. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia function
comprises processing a video stream.
27. The system of claim 26, wherein the multimedia function
comprises extracting a key frame from a video stream.
28. The system of claim 26, wherein the multimedia function
comprises generating a bar code, the bar code corresponding to a
video segment in the video stream.
29. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia function
comprises generating a web page representation of the multimedia
data.
30. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia processing system
is configured to communicate with the peripheral device.
31. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia processing system
is configured to control functionality in the peripheral
device.
32. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia processing system
resides at least in part on the peripheral device.
33. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to
automatically detect a communicative coupling of a peripheral
device.
34. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to
automatically download multimedia data from the peripheral
device.
35. A method for printing multimedia data, the method comprising:
receiving a multimedia data from a peripheral device; performing a
multimedia function on the multimedia data; determining an
electronic representation of the multimedia data; and producing a
corresponding electronic output from the electronic representation
of the multimedia data.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the electronic output is stored
on a media recorder.
37. The method of claim 35, wherein the electronic output is stored
on a removable storage device.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein the removable storage device is
selected from a group consisting of a DVD, a CD-ROM, an audio
cassette tape, a video tape, a flash card, a memory stick, and a
computer disk.
39. The method of claim 35, wherein the electronic output comprises
a web page.
40. The method of claim 35 further comprising: determining a
printed representation of the multimedia data; and producing a
corresponding printed output from the printed representation of the
multimedia data.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein the printed output is generated
on a video paper.
42. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises
a cellular telephone.
43. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises
a video camcorder.
44. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises
a digital audio recorder.
45. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises
a media input device selected from a group consisting of a DVD
reader, a video cassette tape reader, a CD reader, an audio
cassette tape reader, a flash card reader, digital video recorder,
a video capture device, and a meeting recorder.
46. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia function
comprises processing a video stream.
47. The method of claim 46, wherein the multimedia function
comprises extracting a key frame from a video stream.
48. The method of claim 46, wherein the multimedia function
comprises generating a bar code, the bar code corresponding to a
video segment in the video stream.
49. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia function
comprises generating a web page representation of the multimedia
data.
50. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a
functionality in the peripheral device.
51. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically
detecting a communicative coupling of a peripheral device.
52. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically
downloading the multimedia data from the peripheral device.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional
Patent Application entitled "Printer Including One or More
Specialized Hardware Devices" filed on Sep. 25, 2003, having Ser.
No. 60/506,303, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application entitled
"Printer Including Interface and Specialized Information Processing
Capabilities" filed on Sep. 25, 2003, having Ser. No. 60/506,302,
each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety.
[0002] This application is also related to the following
applications, each of which was filed on Mar. 30, 2004 and each of
which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety:
Application Ser. No. ______, entitled "Printer Having Embedded
Functionality for Printing Time-Based Media," Attorney Docket
Number 20412-08340; Application Ser. No. ______, entitled "Printer
User Interface," Attorney Docket 20412-8455; and Application Ser.
No. ______, entitled "Printer With Hardware and Software Interfaces
for Media Devices," Attorney Docket 20412-8383.
BACKGROUND
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates generally to document printers
and, more specifically, to document printers that can receive,
process, and transform multimedia data from a peripheral
device.
[0005] 2. Background of the Invention
[0006] Cost and quality improvements in multimedia technologies
have led to a proliferation of digital devices with multimedia
capabilities. High-quality video cameras and cellular phones with
multimedia capabilities are becoming commonplace in the home and
workplace, and have proven to be useful for diverse purposes
ranging from teleconferencing to managing information. Multimedia
data captured by such devices are typically delivered in an
unprocessed form to a medium such as a digital tape or memory
card.
[0007] A conventional printer can receive multimedia data in a
number of formats and then print the contents of those data in
accordance with the proper format. But while conventional printers
can print documents in a wide variety of formats, these printers
are fundamentally limited in their ability to take in contents from
multimedia devices such as video cameras and cellular phones and
process the data to create a useable record. For example, it is
standard technology for a printer to produce images of static text,
pictures, or a combination of the two. However, creating multimedia
output from a peripheral device typically involves several
disparate steps, each potentially requiring considerable effort.
Oftentimes, a user will have to convert and transfer multimedia
data in different stages to different devices--for instance
transferring a video clip from a video camera, then into a summary
file containing excerpts of the video file, then to a memory or
output device. While the processing of a multimedia file from a
peripheral device commonly involves the same repeated tasks, there
is no easy way to automate them. In addition, because the
multimedia data from a peripheral device are typically not printed
to a paper document, they are difficult to incorporate into the
existing paper-based workflow by which most offices function.
Although means do exist to map multimedia data from a peripheral
device to paper-friendly and electronic outputs, these additional
conversion steps are often not automated or performed.
[0008] Thus, there is a need for an integrated printer that can
receive multimedia data from a peripheral device, process it, and
output a printed document or other media. It is further desirable
that such a printer be able to perform at least some of the
necessary processing itself, while some of the processing may be
performed on an external device, rather than require an attached
computer or other device to perform all of the processing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention overcomes the deficiencies and
limitations of the prior art by providing systems and methods in
which multimedia data from a peripheral device are received by a
printer, the data are processed, and the printer outputs the
result. In a typical hardware configuration for such a
multifunction printer, a printer includes a peripheral interface
that communicates with a peripheral device, a print engine that
produces a paper or other printed output, and one or more
electronic devices that produce a related electronic output.
Together, the printed and electronic outputs provide an improved
representation of the multimedia data from the peripheral device
over that of a convention paper printer.
[0010] In one embodiment, a printing system includes a network
coupled to a network device and a printing system. An interface
receives multimedia data from a peripheral device, and a multimedia
processing system is coupled to the interface for processing the
multimedia data. Based on any of a number of desired applications,
the multimedia processing system determines a printed
representation of the multimedia data and an electronic
representation of the multimedia data. To enable sharing of the
computing load, the multimedia processing system may reside at
least in part on the printing system and at least in part on the
peripheral device. A printed output system in communication with
the multimedia processing system receives the printed
representation and produces a corresponding printed output.
Similarly, an electronic output system in communication with the
multimedia processing system receives the electronic representation
and produces a corresponding electronic output. In this way, the
printer creates a representation of multimedia data from a
peripheral device by producing a printed output and an electronic
output.
[0011] In various embodiments, the system includes hardware and
software for processing multimedia contents and various mechanisms
for creating the electronic and printed outputs. For example, the
interface may include a single communication interface, a network
interface, a wireless interface, personal digital assistant (PDA)
device, a cellular phone, a removable media storage device reader,
a video input device (such as a DVD reader), an audio input device
(such as a CD reader or an MP3 player), a digital video recorder
(e.g., TiVO), screen capture hardware, a video and/or audio
recorder, or any of a number of different types of devices that can
receive multimedia data. Similarly, the electronic output system
may write the electronic representation to one or more different
types of removable media storage devices, such as a DVD, a digital
video recorder, a digital audio recorder, a CD, a flash card, a
computer disk, an SD disk, or another computer-readable medium. The
electronic output system may also include a disposable media
writer, a self-destructing media writer, a video display, an audio
speaker, a driver for a speaker system (such as an embedded MIDI
player), or an embedded web page display. In this way, a
multifunction printer can be configured to process any of a large
number of multimedia data from various peripheral devices, allowing
various embodiments of the printer to meet the needs of many
different applications.
[0012] Because of the great many combinations of input and output
devices possible for the printing system, the system may include
hardware, software, or a combination thereof for performing a wide
variety of different operations on the multimedia data. In this
way, the system can be configured to produce various types of
printed and electronic outputs based on received multimedia data to
meet the needs of different applications. To solve various
problems, in embodiments of the system, the multimedia processing
system includes one or more embedded multimedia modules.
[0013] Moreover, the processing logic in the printing system can be
configured to communicate with a peripheral device via the
peripheral interface. Thus, the processing logic has the capability
to operate the peripheral device and transfer data to the
peripheral device.
[0014] These different tasks may be performed on the printer by the
multimedia processing system, or partially on the printer by the
multimedia processing system in conjunction with one or more
electronic devices capable of performing some of the required
processing steps. The printer can thus balance the required
processing of the multimedia data between the printer and one or
more connected electronic devices, such as a personal computer or
an external network service. By conducting at least some of the
processing on the printer, the printer relieves at least some of
the processing load on external devices that the printer's
additional functionality may require.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system in accordance with
an embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the operation of the system in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of various peripheral
interfaces of the printer, in accordance with embodiments of the
invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the printer's printed
output system, in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of various electronic media
output systems of the printer, in accordance with embodiments of
the invention.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the multimedia module of
the printer, in accordance an embodiment of the invention.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of the operation of the system for
automatically receiving multimedia data from a docked peripheral
device, in accordance to an embodiment of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 8 is an illustration of interactive communication with
the printer in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Various embodiments of a printing system with a peripheral
interface enable the printing of multimedia in a useful and
intelligent format. To create a representation of this multimedia
data, the printing system produces a printed output and a related
electronic output, which together provide a representation of the
received multimedia data. Depending on the desired application, the
printing system includes a multimedia module with any number of
functionalities for processing the multimedia data, printing the
printed output, and producing the electronic output. Therefore, a
number of embodiments of the printing system are described herein
to show how such a system can be configured in a virtually
limitless number of combinations to solve or address a great number
of needs that exist.
[0024] System Architecture
[0025] FIG. 1 is a high-level diagram of one embodiment of a
printing system, which includes a printer 100, a network 155, and a
network device 170. The network 155 and the network device 170 are
optional components to the printer 100. In other embodiments, the
printer 100 can be configured to operate as a standalone printer
without a network connection. Printer 100 includes a peripheral
interface 105, user interfaces 110a and 110b, a printed output
system 115, an electronic output system 120, and a multimedia
processing system 125. Capable of receiving multimedia data from a
peripheral device 151, the peripheral interface 105 can take a
variety of forms and may include one or more devices that can
receive multimedia data or create multimedia data by observing a
media event. Similarly, the printed output system 115 and the
electronic output system 120 can take a variety of forms and may
each include one or more devices that can produce, respectively, a
printed output 165 and an electronic output 175.
[0026] In one embodiment, the multimedia processing system 125
includes a memory 130, a processor 135, and a multimedia processing
module 140. The multimedia processing module 140, which is
described in more detail below, may include software, hardware, or
a combination thereof for implementing at least a portion of the
functionality of the multifunction printer 100. The multimedia
processing system 125 is coupled to the peripheral interface 105,
allowing it to communicate therewith. The media processing system
125 is also coupled to the printed output system 115 and to the
electronic output system 120 for providing the appropriate commands
and data to those systems.
[0027] In an embodiment, the printer 100 may further include a
network interface 150, functionally coupled to the multimedia
processing system 125. The network interface 150 allows the printer
100 to communicate with other electronic devices, such as network
device 170 and external service 160. In one embodiment, the network
device 170 is a computer system, such as a personal computer.
Beneficially, the network device 170 includes processing capability
for performing any desired processing on the media data. In this
way, the network device 170 can relieve the printer 100 of some of
the processing load required to produce printed and electronic
outputs from the multimedia data. In one embodiment, the network
device 170 includes a user interface 110b that allows a user to
make selections about the processing of the multimedia and/or about
the format or destination of the printed or electronic outputs. In
other embodiments, the user interface 110b can be located on
another attached device, or the user interface 1110a can be located
on the printer 100 itself. The user interface 110 may include a
display system and software for communicating with an attached
display. For example, a user may communicate with the printing
system via user interface 110 to configure output layouts for a
multimedia presentation.
[0028] In another embodiment, the printer 100 is coupled to an
external service 160, which includes hardware and/or software for
performing some of the processing tasks on the multimedia to be
printed. In a typical embodiment, a remote service provider
operates the external service 160. In such an embodiment, whereas
the network device 170 may communicate with the printer 100 over a
local area network, the external service may communicate with the
printer 100 over a wide area network or over the Internet. By
sharing the media processing tasks with an external service 160,
possibly operated by a service provider, the printing system can
perform tasks that are under the control of the service provider.
In this way, a service can be set up around a particular form of
multimedia processing, where a user pays for use of the
service.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows an overview of a generalized process in which
the printer 100 creates a representation of multimedia data, in
accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The printer 100
first receives 205 multimedia data from a peripheral device 151 via
the peripheral interface 105. This multimedia data may be received
as digital data, or it may be an observable event that the
interface 105 records as digital data. Coupled to the interface 105
to receive the multimedia data, the multimedia processing system
125 processes 210 the data to generate printed and electronic
outputs. This processing 210 is performed in accordance with the
intended functionality of the printer 100, and examples of
different operations are described in greater detail below.
[0030] In one embodiment, the system automatically generates a
printed output or an electronic output of the multimedia data based
on a predefined format and the functionality of the peripheral
device 151 that is connected to the peripheral interface 105. For
example, the multimedia processing system can take a video clip
from a digital video camera connected to peripheral interface 105
and automatically generate a printed output on a video paper
containing key frames and bar codes for accessing video segments of
the video file.
[0031] In another embodiment, the system includes a user interface
110 to allow a user to preview the generated outputs. If the user
desires to refine the processing 215, the user can enter commands,
which the printer 100 receives 220 by way of the user interface
110. Based on the user's commands, the printer 100 then repeats the
processing 210 of the media data to generate new printed and
electronic outputs. This refinement process can be iterated until
the user is satisfied with the printed and electronic outputs. When
this occurs, the user will indicate that the printing should
commence, for example, by invoking a print command with the user
interface 110. The multimedia processing system 125 then sends the
generated printed output to the printed output system 115 and the
electronic output to the electronic output system 120. The printed
output system 115 then creates 225 a printed output 165, and the
electronic output system 120 creates 230 an electronic output
175.
[0032] It can be appreciated that this generalized description of a
multifunction printer lends itself to a great number of specific
configurations and applications. Accordingly, examples of the
possible configurations, applications, and particular components
are further described.
[0033] Peripheral Interface
[0034] The peripheral interface 105 can be designed to accommodate
any suitable type of multimedia peripheral devices 151. Because of
the great variety of types and formats of multimedia data, the
peripheral interface 105 may take any number of forms to accept any
devices 151 that a user might wish to connect and print the
multimedia contents from the devices. FIG. 3 illustrates some
examples of different interfaces 105 by which the printer 100 can
receive multimedia data from a peripheral device 151. In particular
implementations, the printer 100 may have only one or only a subset
of these types of interfaces 105, and in addition the printer 100
may have other types of interfaces not shown.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 3, the printer 100 may include a
communication interface 305 that allows the printer 100 to be
communicatively coupled to another electronic device. Depending on
the desired input, the interface 305 may allow the computer to
communicate with a wide variety of different peripheral devices 151
that can provide the printer 100 multimedia data to print. Without
intending to limit the types of devices, the interface 305 may
allow the printer 100 to received media data from peripheral
devices 151 such as computer systems, computer networks, digital
cameras, cellular telephones, PDA devices, video cameras, media
renderers (such as DVD and CD players), media receivers (such as
televisions, satellite receivers, set-top boxes, and the like),
digital video recorders (such as a TiVO), a portable meeting
recorder, external storage devices, video game systems, or any
combination thereof. The connection type for the interface 305 can
take a variety of forms based on the type of device that is
intended to be connected to the printer 100 and the available
standard connections for that type of device. For example, the
interface 305 may comprise a port for connecting the device using a
connection type such as USB, serial, FireWire, SCSI, IDE, RJ11,
parallel port (e.g., bi-directional, Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP),
Extended Capability Port (ECP), IEEE 1284 Standard parallel port),
optical, composite video, component video, or S-video, or any other
suitable connection type.
[0036] In another embodiment, the printer 100 includes a wireless
interface 310. As illustrated, the wireless interface 310 allows
the printer 100 to receive multimedia data from a wireless
peripheral device 151 external to the printer 100. The wireless
interface 310 may allow the printer 100 to communicate with any
number of wireless communication systems, such as wireless
components on a home or business network, cellular phones and other
portable wireless devices, satellites, satellite dishes, and
devices using radio transmissions. Depending on the types of
external devices with which the printer 100 is desired to
communicate, the wireless interface 310 may comprise hardware
and/or software that implements a wireless communications protocol,
such as that described in IEEE 802.11 or the Bluetooth
standard.
[0037] In another embodiment, the printer 100 receives media data
from a removable media storage reader 315 that is built into the
printer 100. The removable media storage reader 315 may be
configured to accommodate any type of removable media storage
device, such as DVDs, CDs, video cassette tapes, audio cassette
tapes, floppy disks, ZIP disks, flash cards, micro-drives, memory
sticks, SD disks, or any other suitable type of multimedia storage
devices. Moreover, the printer 100 may have a plurality of
removable multimedia storage readers 315 to accommodate multiple
types of media storage devices.
[0038] In another embodiment, the printer 100 includes a docking
station 335 that is built into the printer 100. The docking station
335 may be configured to accommodate any type of peripheral device,
such cell phones, digital audio recorders, video camcorders,
portable meeting recorders, fixed position meeting recorders,
head-mounted video cameras, office-based PC experience capture
systems, or any other suitable type of multimedia peripheral
devices. Moreover, the printer 100 may have a plurality of docking
stations 335 to accommodate multiple types of peripheral devices.
Furthermore, it will be understood that a peripheral device 151 may
also be communicatively coupled to the communication interface 305
via an external docking station.
[0039] In another embodiment, the printer may include video capture
hardware 355. In one embodiment, the video capture hardware 355 is
designed to be coupled to a computing system by a video cable
thereof. The video cable from a display is attached to the printer
100, where the video signal is split with one signal directed to
the computing system and another signal to the video capture
hardware 355. The video capture hardware 355 performs a
differencing between successive frames of the video signal and
saves frames with a difference that exceeds a threshold on a
secondary storage in the printer 100. This offloads such processing
from the computing system, thereby improving responsiveness and
user experience and providing an easily browseable record of a
user's activities during the day. To take advantage of the printing
capabilities of the multifunction printer, the user can choose to
print selected frames captured by the video capture hardware 355.
The printing can be generated on demand with the user interface 110
on the printer or from the attached computing system, or
automatically with scheduling software. In this way, a user can
view a replay of any actions taken on the computing system.
Notably, the captured content can be effectively compressed because
the differences between frames are small.
[0040] In another embodiment, the video capture hardware 355 is
coupled to a converter module 360, such as VGA-to-NTSC conversion
hardware. Such an embodiment could be used in conjunction with a
projector to capture presentations made with the projector. Audio
capture could also be employed to record a speaker's oral
presentation. To use the video capture hardware 355 in this way, a
user could connect a laptop or other computing system and the
projector to the printer 100. The printer 100 then captures video
frames and compares them to the most recently captured frame and
retains those frames that are different. A parallel audio track may
also be saved. This capability could also be used in a desktop
printer to record a presentation made on a computing system
connected to the printer. The printer can then serve the audio
itself or it can be written to a digital medium, such as an SD disk
that can be played from a cell phone or a PDA. The audio could also
be written to a bar code on a printed representation.
[0041] Printed Output System
[0042] The printed output system 115 may comprise any standard
printing hardware, including that found in standard laser printers,
inkjet printers, thermal wax transfer printers, dye sublimation
printers, dot matrix printers, plotters, or any other type of
printing mechanisms suitable for creating a printer image on an
appropriate physical medium. In the example described herein, a
laser printer mechanism is described; however, it should be
understood that any suitable printing system can be used. The
printer 100 includes any necessary subsystems, as know by one
skilled in the art, to print on a printable medium, such as a sheet
of paper.
[0043] In one embodiment, the printed output system 115 comprises a
media supply handler 405 that receives blank paper to be printed
on. The media supply handler 405 typically obtains the paper from a
supply tray 410. The printer 100 may include multiple supply trays
410, allowing the printer to accommodate different sizes and types
of paper as well as trays 410 of varying capacity. When the printer
100 needs blank paper for printing, the media supply handler 405
provides the print engine 420 with a sheet of blank medium.
[0044] The formatter 415 converts data received from the multimedia
processing system 125 into a format that the print engine 420 can
use to create an image on the paper. The print engine 420 creates
an image on the paper as indicated by the formatter 415. A fuser
425 then uses high temperature and pressure to fuse the image onto
the paper to fix the image thereon. Once the image is fixed, the
paper is fed to the media output handler 430. Although not shown,
it is appreciated that the printer 100 includes any necessary
motors, gears, and diverters to cause the paper to move through the
printer 100.
[0045] The media output handler 430 receives one or more printed
sheets of paper and performs any requested finishing to the sheets.
For example, the media output handler 430 may include a sorter 435
to sort or collate the sheets for multiple copies and a stapler 440
to attach the sheets together. When the finishing process is
complete, the media output handler 430 moves the sheets to an
output 445, of which there may be multiple trays 445 to accommodate
different sizes, types, and capacities of printed output.
[0046] Electronic Output System
[0047] The electronic output system 120 can be designed to produce
an electronic output related to the multimedia data in any desired
format. Because of the great variety of types and formats of
electronic outputs, the electronic output system 120 may take any
of a number of forms for producing an electronic output desired by
the user. FIG. 5 illustrates some examples of different embodiments
of the electronic output system 105. In particular implementations,
the printer 100 may have only one or only a subset of the various
components shown, and in addition it may have other types of not
shown.
[0048] In one embodiment, the printer 100 writes the electronic
output to a removable media device with a media writer 505. Many
different types of media writers are know in the art, and the media
writer 505 many comprise any of these. For example, the media
writer 505 may be configured to write the electronic output to
removable storage devices such as a writeable DVD or CD, a video
cassette tape, an audio cassette tape, a flash card, a computer
disk, an SD disk, a memory stick, or any other appropriate
electronically-readable medium. Moreover, the electronic output
system 120 may include a number of media writers 505 of different
types to allow the printer 100 to print onto different electronic
formats. In addition, the electronic output system 120 may include
a number of media writers 505 of the same type to increase the
output capacity of the printer 100.
[0049] The removable storage device that receives the electronic
output from the printer 100 may be fed to the media writer directly
by a user, for example by inserting a blank disk into a drive. In
another embodiment, the printer 100 includes an electronic media
handling mechanism 510 coupled to the media writer 505 that
automatically provides the media writer 505 with an appropriate
type of removable storage device. The handling mechanism 510 may
further be configured to physically place written to storage
devices into an output tray 515. In one embodiment, a series of
blank storage devices are fed to the printer 100 by a bandolier 520
or other type of feeder, allowing the printer 100 to create a high
volume of electronic output without requiring a significant amount
of interaction with a human operator. The bandolier 520 preferably
then places the written to devices into an output tray 515.
[0050] In another embodiment, the media writer 505 is a disposable
media writer, configured to write electronic data to a disposable
removable media storage mechanism. In another embodiment, the media
writer 505 writes the electronic data to a self-destructing medium.
In this way, a user can view the electronic data for a
predetermined number of times or during a predetermined period of
time, after which the electronic data are no longer viewable.
[0051] In another embodiment, the electronic output system 120
includes a speaker system 530. The speaker system 530 is designed
to receive an audio signal from the media processing system 125, in
response to which the audio is played from an embedded speaker 530
in the printer 100. The electronic output system 120 may further
include a player 525 or audio renderer that receives an encoded
audio signal from the media processing system 125 and converts it
into an audio signal for the speaker 530. The player 525 thus takes
some of the processing load off the media processing system 125.
For example, the player 525 may include a MIDI player for
generating the audio signal; however, many other audio renderers
may be used, in either hardware or software.
[0052] In another embodiment, the electronic output system 120
includes a video display 535. The video display 535 is designed to
receive a video signal from the media processing system 125, in
response to which the video is played on the video display 535
embedded into the printer 100. Similarly, the video display 535 may
receive the video signal directly from a driver to reduce the
processing load on the media processing system 125.
[0053] In another embodiment, the printer 100 transmits the
electronic output that is to be printed to another device as a
signal. This signal can later be fixed in a tangible medium by the
external device. To facilitate this, the electronic output system
120 includes a communication interface 540. The communication
interface receives the electronic output from the media processing
system 125 and sends the electronic output to the external device,
which may be in communication with the printer 100 over a local
network, the Internet, a wireless network, a direct connection, or
any other suitable communication means.
[0054] In another embodiment, the electronic output system 120
comprises an embedded web page display 545. The web page display
545 allows a user to see a representation of the electronic output
in a web-based form.
[0055] Multimedia Processing System
[0056] The multimedia processing system 125 of the printer 100 is
designed to perform the specialized functionality of the
multifunction printer 100. To send and receive messages between
external devices or the user interface 110, the processing system
125 includes a processor 135 and a memory 130. In addition, the
multimedia processing system includes a multimedia module 140 that
enables the printer 100 to create related printed and electronic
outputs for different types of multimedia data. In this way, the
printer 100 can be configured to have any number of multimedia
processing functionalities.
[0057] In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 6, multimedia
module 140 includes software and hardware to automatically detect
602 the coupling of a peripheral device 151, a module to
communicate with a peripheral device 604, a module to process and
format multimedia data 606, and a module to generate an output
608.
[0058] In an embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the device
detection module 602 automatically detects (steps 702 and 704) the
docking (or communicative coupling) of a peripheral device 151 and
download multimedia data from the peripheral device for processing
by the printer 100. The multimedia processor 125 can utilize such
protocols as the Plug and Play (PnP) or Universal Plug and Play
(UPnP) protocol to automatically detect and communicate with
devices that has PnP capabilities. With UPnP, a device can
automatically communicate with each other directly, convey its
capabilities, and learn about the presence and capabilities of
other devices. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other
detection methods, such as polling techniques, may be used to
automatically detect the coupling of a peripheral device.
Alternative systems for connection, such as IEEE 1394 cabling or
Universal Serial Bus cabling, have equivalent standards for device
and capability discovery. Alternatively, one embodiment might
detect the presence of an active electrical circuit in a physical
connector, such as an RS232 serial port connector, between the
docked device and printer 100.
[0059] Once a device is docked to the printer 100 via peripheral
interface 105, the device communication module 604 is configured to
communicate with the peripheral device 151. Again, PnP capabilities
of a device will allow the communication module 604 to communicate
with the device. The communication module 604 may be configured
with specific software drivers to enabling communication with
specific peripheral devices. In an embodiment, the communication
module 604 enables the printer 100 to operate a docked peripheral
device to capture multimedia data. In such an embodiment, the
printer 100 can also send commands to the peripheral docked
peripheral device 151 and operate the device by controlling certain
functionalities of the device. For example, the printer 100 could
communicate with a docked cell phone to automatically bill the
owner of the cell through his/her cell phone provider, or based on
information in an xml profile on the phone. In another example, the
printer 100 can communicate with a docked cell phone to issue
commands to take pictures with the cell phone's digital camera or
to call a number from the cell phone. The picture might show who is
standing at the printer 100. That data could be transmitted to some
other destination by the cell phone when it calls out. The called
number could be provided in a profile stored on the cell phone, or
it could be stored on the printer. These functions could be
provided with an infrared interface that's available in many cell
phones. Alternatively, the device discovery and capability
negotiation on Bluetooth- or WIFI-enabled phones could identify the
device and its capabilities to the printer. The printer would
lookup the appropriate command set for that phone in a library of
command sets stored on the printer or off-printer in a
network-accessible location. The printer 100 could then issue the
commands necessary to invoke the desired functions. Other examples
are discussed below.
[0060] The communication module 604 sends a request to the
peripheral device for multimedia data to be downloaded to the
printer 100, step 706. Once the multimedia processing system 125
receives the multimedia data, the multimedia processing and
formatting module 606 contains logic to format and process the
multimedia data. In an embodiment, the format may be pre-defined
and configured for specific peripheral devices. In other
embodiments, a user may design a layout format for the multimedia
data via the user interface 100. In yet another embodiment, a user
may upload a predefined format. The multimedia processing and
formatting module 606 provides an organized representation of the
multimedia data depending on a particular peripheral device 151.
For example, the formatter 606 may generate a format suitable for
representation on a video paper. Thus, if a video camcorder is
docked directly to the printer, the format might comprise key
frames with bar codes linking the key frames to different segments
of a video file that may be used to replay a recorded video
describing the event. The formatter 606 can also create a format
suitable for display on a web page. Examples of additional formats
will be discussed below.
[0061] In step 710, the multimedia output generator module 608
creates an output of the formatted multimedia data. The output may
be sent to the printed output system 115 where it will be printed
on a document, or it may be sent to the electronic output system
120 where an electronic output will be produced. In one embodiment,
the output may also be uploaded to a web server via network
155.
[0062] Although the media processing system 125 is configured to
perform at least some of the processing of the media data on the
printer 100, the system 125 can preferably share some of the
computing burden with the peripheral device that communicatively
coupled to it. In a preferred embodiment, the peripheral device 151
is capable of performing at least a portion of the multimedia
processing functionality, such as formatting the multimedia data
for output. In this way, the printer 100 is relieved of at least
some of the processing burden required to implement the printer's
functionality. The printer 100 can thus avoid slow-downs that can
result from a heavy processing load, which may be especially
important for shared printers.
[0063] Interactive Communication with a Printer
[0064] FIG. 8 shows an example of interactive communication with a
printer in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0065] In general, conventional printer drivers in modern operating
systems are not designed to facilitate interactive information
gathering. Because the print job can be redirected to another
printer, or the printing protocol does not allow such interactive
sessions, the operating system does not encourage interaction with
the user. Once initial printer settings are captured, further
interactions are generally not allowed in conventional printers.
One approach to this problem is to embed metadata into the print
stream itself, as noted above. However, it is possible that the
printer could need to ask the user for more information, in
response to computations made from the data supplied by the user.
In addition, the printer might itself delegate some tasks to other
applications on other devices, which might in turn need more
information from the user. So-called "Web services" or "grid
computing" systems are examples of the sort of application server
that the printer might trigger.
[0066] In order to allow this interaction, without modifying
printer driver architecture of the underlying operating system, an
extra mechanism, such as the one shown in FIG. 8, is constructed. A
"UI Listener," program 854 listens to a network socket, accepts
requests for information 808, interacts with a user to obtain such
data, and then sends the data back to the requester.
[0067] Once a print request 802 is sent by user 850 and
notification requested from the UI listener 804, the print job is
sent by application 852. Here, the print job contains embedded
information including the network address of the UI listener,
authentication information, and the latest time that the client
will be listening for requests.
[0068] If the printer requires additional information of
confirmation, it sends a request 808, which is detected by the UI
listener, which displays a dialog box to obtain input from the user
810. An example of such a request might be a request for a password
or user confirmation code that the user must enter to access a
database 858. The user's input is included in a reply 812 sent to
the printer. If the reply does not satisfy the printer it may ask
for additional information (not shown). If the reply does satisfy
the printer, it takes a next step. This step might be to perform an
external action such as sending an email (not shown). The next step
might also be sending a request for information 814 to an
application server (such as a database) 858. In this example,
application server 858 also sends a request for information 816,
which is detected by the UI listener. The user is prompted 818 and
his response forwarded to the application server 820. In this
example, a reply is then sent from the application server 858 to
the printer 856. It will be understood that a particular embodiment
may include either or none or requests 808 and 816 without
departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0069] A program such as that shown in FIG. 8 may have a fixed set
of possible interactions, or may accept a flexible command syntax
that allows the requester to display many different requests. An
example of such a command syntax would be the standard web
browser's ability to display HTML forms. These forms are generated
by a remote server, and displayed by the browser, which then
returns results to the server. In this embodiment, however, the UI
listener is different from a browser in that a user does not
generate the initial request to see a form. Instead, the remote
machine generates this request. In the described embodiment, the UI
listener is a server, not a client.
[0070] Because network transactions of this type are prone to many
complex error conditions, a system of timeouts would be necessary
to assure robust operation. Normally, each message sent across a
network either expects a reply or is a one-way message. Messages
which expect replies generally have a timeout, a limited period of
time during which it is acceptable for the reply to arrive. In this
embodiment, embedded metadata would include metadata about a UI
listener that will accept requests for further information. Such
metadata preferably includes at least a network address, port
number, and a timeout period. It might also include authentication
information, designed to prevent malicious attempts to elicit
information from the user. Because the user cannot tell whether the
request is coming from a printer, a delegated server, or a
malicious agent, prudence suggests strong authentication by the UI
listener. If the printer or a delegated application server wishes
more information, it can use the above noted information to request
that the UI listener ask a user for the needed information.
[0071] Printer with Cell Phone Interface
[0072] A cell phone is docked directly with the printer 100,
thereby eliminating the need to attach the cell phone to a PC. The
multimedia processor 125 of the printer 100 automatically downloads
still frame images, audio and video clips that are resident on the
cell phone to the printer 100. The multimedia processing and
formatting module 606 formats the data as a video paper document,
and prints that document. The multimedia data output can also be
sent to an electronic output system 120 where the data can be
written on an external storage site, or a removable media card. The
media card can be played on the cell phone using the cell phone
digital camera as a bar code reader. Or if the media were uploaded
to a web site via network connection 155 that provides a streaming
media service, the user could call that site and play the media on
the cell phone after entering the necessary access codes. Keying
digits on the keypad of the cellular phone provides random access
to points in the recording indicated by bar codes and other
human-readable text. That text can also include phone numbers
called while the corresponding multimedia data were recorded. If
those phone numbers correspond to address book data on the cellular
phone, it can also be included in the print out 165.
[0073] Printer with Hardware and Software Interface for
Camcorder
[0074] A video camcorder is docked directly with the printer 100,
thereby eliminating the need to attach the camcorder to a PC, and
the still frame images, audio and video clips that are resident on
the camcorder are downloaded to the printer 100 via communication
module 604 on the multimedia processing module 140, which formats
the data as a video paper document, and prints that document. The
multimedia data can also be written on an external storage site, or
a removable media card. The media card can be played on the
camcorder, using its camera as a bar code reader. Or if the media
can be uploaded to a web site that provides a streaming media
service via network interface 150 that is couples the printer to a
web server on the network 155; the user can login to that site
later and play the media in a web browser after entering the
necessary access codes. Other human-readable text could be printed
near the bar codes that indicate the data and time when the
recording was made as well as the location of the person, if
available from something like a GPS receiver. The printer 100 could
also be configured to operate the camcorder and send it commands
that cause it to capture video and audio of the environment nearby
the printer. The user could also be provided instructions over user
interface 110a that tell her how the device should be manipulated
at any time. For example, where to point the camcorder.
[0075] Printer with Hardware and Software Interface for Digital
Audio Recorder
[0076] An external digital audio recorder (DAR), like those used by
doctors to record notes about patients' medical charts, is
interfaced to the printer 100. The display on the printer 100 is
configured to read information about the content of the DVR over a
serial port. This information is printed in various formats, such
as a program guide or as an Audio Paper document that shows the
meta information about each recording such as when it occurred, its
duration, where the user was supposed to be, as provided by his
online scheduler, etc. Bar codes, when swiped, cause the DAR to
begin playing the audio recording from the corresponding point.
Those clips can also be uploaded to a web site that provides access
to the audio over the phone. The user can call the audio server and
key in access code information as well as clip identification data
that cause any clip to begin playing from the appropriate point in
time. The printer 100 could also be configured to operate the DAR
and send it commands that cause it to capture audio from the
environment nearby the printer. The user could also be provided
instructions over user interface 110a that tell her how the device
should be manipulated at any time. For example, where to point the
DAR or what to say to it (e.g., "Pronounce your name"). Printer
with Hardware and Software Interface for Portable Meeting
Recorder
[0077] A portable meeting recorder, composed of a video camera with
a 360-degree lens and a microphone, is docked to the printer 100.
The multimedia data files are downloaded to the printer. The
multimedia processing and formatting module 140 dewarps the video
and extracts the key frames from the multimedia data files. Those
key frames are chosen to show at least one image of every meeting
attendee. Face detection and tracking can be used to find the
largest and most well-composed image of each participant. A video
paper document (printed output 165) is created from the multimedia
recording that includes bar codes that refer to the multimedia data
stored on the Portable Meeting Recorder, or an associated PDA. The
multimedia is played by swiping the bar codes with a tethered bar
code reader or by imaging the bar codes with a video camera
interfaced to the Portable Meeting Recorder. The printer 100 could
also be configured to operate the Portable Meeting Recorder and
send it commands that cause it to capture audio and video from the
environment nearby the printer. The user could also be provided
instructions over user interface 110a that tell her how the device
should be manipulated at any time. For example, where to point the
Portable Meeting Recorder or what to say to it (e.g., "Pronounce
your name").
[0078] Printer with Hardware and Software Interface for Fixed
Position Meeting Recorder
[0079] A meeting recorder in a conference room is equipped with a
Print button. Pressing the Print button triggers software that
formats the most recently recorded meeting as Video Paper with bar
codes that refer to data stored on the local system. The
appropriate audio capture software and hardware are provided so
that sound localization can be performed in real-time and
post-processed to produce Video Paper which segments the recording
by the position from which the sound emanated in the room. A
suitable representation is used to provide access to the recorded
data. For example, sectors of a circle can be annotated with colors
and bar codes that provide access to the points in the recording
when the person at that location began speaking. Additional meta
information could be printed next to the sector that shows how many
times the person at that location spoke and the total amount of
time they used. This could also be encoded in the color assigned to
the sector. For example, red could indicate the person who
dominated the meeting. A similar sector icon could be used to
annotate a time line so that by looking at the time line and the
icon, the user could tell where the person was sitting who was
speaking at that time and approximately how long they spoke
for.
[0080] Printer with Hardware and Software Interface for Fixed
Position Meeting Recorder with Pan Tilt Zoom Capture Capability
[0081] A meeting recorder camera in a conference room has the
ability to pan, tilt, and zoom its view while recording a meeting.
These capabilities can be combined with real-time sound
localization and tracking to produce a video recording which
captures not only the dialog in a meeting but also what is written
on a whiteboard and what appears on the display screen for the
projector. This system can also be equipped with a Print button
that when pressed generates a Video Paper representation for the
recorded multimedia. This document will include images of the
whiteboards when their content changes significantly as well as key
frames that were captured when the camera head was panned or tilted
significantly to track action in the room.
[0082] Printer with Hardware and Software Interface for
Head-Mounted Video Camera with Gyroscope and GPS Capture
[0083] A head-mounted video camera, such as those commonly used to
capture the video record of a Cyborg, is docked with the printer
100. It downloads the multimedia data from the camera and creates a
video paper representation for it that is outputted to the
electronic output system 120 and stored on the printer 100 or
reprocessed and uploaded to a web hosting service via network 155.
The multimedia processing system 125 extracts key frames the video
file when the person's head moves significantly, as detected by the
gyroscopic tracking software in the camera, or when the person's
geographic position changes significantly, as indicated by the GPS
system. This data can be correlated with symbolic information
stored on the web or in the user's personal organizer which
correlates geographic position with logical location, such as 36
degree 20 minutes North 47 degrees 2 minutes West is Work, to
produce a document that can be selectively formatted to show only
the people spoken with at Work, for example. In another case, the
individual might choose to print only the faces of the people he
met while at Costco. The printer 100 could also be configured to
operate the Head-Mounted Video Camera and send it commands that
cause it to capture audio and video from the environment nearby the
printer. The user could also be provided instructions over user
interface 110a that tell her how the device should be manipulated
at any time. For example, where to point the camera or what to say
to it (e.g., "Pronounce your name").
[0084] Printer with Hardware and Software Interface for
Office-Based PC Experience Capture System
[0085] One or more video cameras are configured to record the
actions that take place in a user's office during the normal
workday. This system can distinguish between a person working in
isolation at their PC and new people walking into the office. This
system is equipped with a Print button that when pressed creates a
Video Paper document which shows key frames and bar codes
representative of events that the system has been pre-configured to
consider interesting. For example, this might show a key frame and
bar code for every visitor that entered the office that day. The
printer 100 could also be configured to operate the Office-based PC
Experience capture system and send it commands that cause it to
capture audio and video from the environment nearby the printer.
The user could also be provided instructions over user interface
110a that tell her how the device should be manipulated at any
time. For example, what to display on the PC screen (e.g., "show me
your schedule for today") where to point the video camera or what
to say to it (e.g., "Pronounce your name").
[0086] Printer with Hardware and Software Interface for Video from
PC Frame Buffer
[0087] The video that appears on a PC user's screen is captured
using the video capture 355 by sampling key frames from the PC's
display buffer and creating a video file from that, or by tapping
the video cable from the PC to its monitor. A video paper document
is created from that which shows key frames only when there is a
significant change in what's displayed on the monitor of the PC.
This can occur when the user views a new web page, for example. Bar
codes are displayed near those key frames that provide access to
the video file. The printer 100 could also be configured to operate
the PC frame buffer capture system and send it commands that cause
it to capture frames. The user could also be provided instructions
over user interface 110a that tell her how the device should be
manipulated at any time. For example, what should be displayed on
the PC screen.
[0088] While examples of suitable printing systems are described
above, the description of the printer and its document production
means is not meant to be limiting. Depending on the intended
application, a printer can take many different forms other than the
typical office or home-use printer with which most people are
familiar. Therefore, it should be understood that the definition of
a printer includes any device that is capable of producing an
image, words, or any other markings on a surface. Although printing
on paper is discussed above, it should be understood that a printer
in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention
could produce an image, words, or other markings onto a variety of
tangible media, such as transparency sheets for overhead
projectors, film, slides, canvass, glass, stickers, or any other
medium that accepts such markings.
[0089] In addition, the description and use of multimedia and
multimedia data are not meant to be limiting, as multimedia may
include any information used to represent any kind of media or
multimedia content, such as all or part of an audio and/or video
file, a data stream having multimedia content, or a transmission of
multimedia content. Multimedia content may include one or a
combination of audio (including music, radio broadcasts,
recordings, advertisements, etc.), video (including movies, video
clips, television broadcasts, advertisements, etc.), software
(including video games, multimedia programs, graphics software,
etc.), and pictures; however, this listing is not exhaustive.
Furthermore, multimedia data may further include anything that
itself comprises multimedia content or multimedia data, in whole or
in part, and multimedia data includes data that describes a
real-world event. Multimedia data can be encoded using any encoding
technology, such as MPEG in the case of video and MP3 in the case
of audio. They may also be encrypted to protect their content using
an encryption algorithm, such as DES, triple DES, or any other
suitable encryption technique.
[0090] Moreover, any of the steps, operations, or processes
described herein can be performed or implemented with one or more
software modules or hardware modules, alone or in combination with
other devices. It should further be understood that portions of the
printer described in terms of hardware elements may be implemented
with software, and that software elements may be implemented with
hardware, such as hard-coded into a dedicated circuit. In one
embodiment, a software module is implemented with a computer
program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing
computer program code, which can be executed by a computer
processor for performing the steps, operations, or processes
described herein.
[0091] In alternative embodiments, the printer can use multiple
application servers, acting in cooperation. Any of the requests or
messages sent or received by the printer can be sent across a
network, using local cables such as IEEE1394, Universal Serial Bus,
using wireless networks such as IEEE 802.11 or IEEE 802.15
networks, or in any combination of the above.
[0092] The foregoing description of the embodiments of the
invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is
not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the
precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can
appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in
light of the above teachings. It is therefore intended that the
scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description,
but rather by the claims appended hereto.
* * * * *